Dreams
by RememberingThePast
Summary: The palace gardens had always been my favorite place to visit when I was a child, but now . . . now it has been reduced to this, a mere outline of its former splendor. - a five part story about Elika and the Prince's battle against the Concubine
1. Royal Gardens

Dreams - Part 1 Royal Gardens

The palace gardens had always been my favorite place to visit when I was a child, but now . . . now it has been reduced to this, a mere outline of its former splendor. There used to be everything here: plants, trees, fountains and color. Color gave this place its soul, brought to life all that had dwelled within it. As I look upon it now corruption is smeared across the walls, draining the life as it were from this once beautiful place. The only light comes from the fertile ground and it is there that the Concubine waits for us.

The Concubine, it is said, was once a beautiful woman adept in influencing the men of the court. She yearned for power and used her beauty to get it, but when she became involved with a man of great power another woman had her thrown from the court, pride and body scarred. To get back the influence she so desperately craved she turned to the one being who could grant her this power.

And this is where I find myself, currently under her power, rooted firmly to the ground as I watch you fight this battle alone.

"Elika, get up!"

I'm trying, I swear, but I cannot seem to gather the strength necessary to break free from my imprisonment. There is a point during all this when you quickly glance back at me, blue eyes narrowed and disappointment clearly showing on your face. For a moment I think of how stupid you are, cursing you with every foul name that I can think of. I'm not some weak damsel in distress waiting for her prince to come and rescue her. I can do perfectly well without you, it's just, well . . . maybe I have gotten too use to your presence.

"This is no time to be napping on the job, princess." You say as you pull me up. There is a cocky smile on your face – one that you would probably deserve to get smacked right off your face – but your breathing is ragged and bruises are beginning to swell. I ignore your comment and take my place behind you.

"Ready when you are."

You grunt, rolling your shoulders and cracking your neck – a habit I find quite disgusting – and you look back at me with a grin, "Don't get caught again, got it? I can't keep protecting your ass." I merely roll my eyes and shake my head, thinking of where you would be without me. Then again, I probably don't want to know.

The battle begins like a dance, a quick trade off of blows, an action that requires a reaction. Despite your rather rugged manner, there is a grace in the way you handle that sword. For a moment, I lose track of everything – where we are, what we set out to accomplish – and lose myself within this experience, being here with you. It's like we are actually in tune with one another, in a place where words are not needed to express our actions. Indeed, it is like a dream and before long we have awoken from it.

"Where she gone?" you ask, your hand gripping tightly to your sword as your eyes dart from one place to the next.

"I'm fine, thank you." It's just like you not to care about anything except your own well being.

"Are you sure her disappearance isn't just another illusion?"

I sigh, "I can move, she must be gone."

"Well then let's heal this ground and get out of this place."

Closing my eyes I let the light consume me, Ormazd's power slowly devouring me. It's faint but I can hear Ahriman whispering to me. At first it sounds like encouragement. That is, until I hear his words: _"Jailer. You take away my life and soon your own will become imprisoned."_ His words tug at me, pull at my mind, but I refuse to crumble under his pressure – after all this I will not fail. Finally I let go, releasing everything that had welled up inside me.

I fall to my knees as I watch this land regain its life. For a moment I'm breathless, partially from this whole ordeal which weakens me more and more, but more so from the place itself and even though it makes me depressed to see it in such a state the fact that I brought back its light is a reward in itself.

Slowly I stand and cautiously make my way toward the edge. I can see from my place upon platform that so many things have changed.

"You use to spend time here?" your words suddenly remind me of your presence but I do not want to look at you for I'm afraid you might see something I don't want you to.

"I use to come here with my mother."

"Oh yeah? I don't think she'd be too impressed with the way this place is now."

I'm not either. "There were fountains all around here that watered the plants." I explain, though I doubt you're interested. My eyes scan the empty fountains and overgrown weeds that had weaved their way around the structures. "Trees, flowers, herbs, spices, things you didn't see anywhere else. They must have been from before or from outside." I turn away, "She'd bring the children here to look after them."

"Yeah . . . Never got into gardening, you know."

I turn my head to look at you. "Hey, they're just plants, we can get you some more. I find Farah and we can ship them in from wherever you want; flowers, trees. You're a princess, you deserve it."

"Yes." Though I doubt you realize it, that has to be the kindest thing you have ever said to me and I allow myself the pleasure of imagining just that. Hopefully you might tell me of it some day.

"We can make this garden grow again."

"Yes." I know this is a possibility; the only sad thing is . . . I won't be here to see it.


	2. the Royal Spire

A.N. - sorry for the long wait, hopefully it's worth it.

Part 2 Royal Spire

We can see the Royal Spire now as we traverse the now treacherous halls of this long forgotten palace. The top is hidden behind dark clouds and even though some distance still needs to be covered, I notice the corruption, which is very close to swallowing this place hole. There is something inside me that makes me run faster, makes me want to tear Ahriman into shreds.

My father use to rule from here with my mother at his side. It was time and place when this land was filled with prosperity, ruled by two people who cared for this place and its well being more then their own. . . it is a time that I will always want to remember. Sadly, those memories are beginning to dwindle and new ones must be set into their place.

But, most important of all, this place is no longer under my father's control. Now the balance of power has shifted and the Concubine governs the Royal Spire. That witch of woman has taken my father's place and now that mother is no longer here he has fallen deeper into the darkness. I cannot blame him for this; he's done so much for me after all, despite what he has given up to do so.

"So, this is where you will rule from, eh princess?"

You and your damn carefree attitude will kill me one day. "This is my father's court, this is his land."

"Sure," you say, a grin quirking your lips upward. You look away from me, head tilted back to stare up into the spire. "We have to climb all the way up there, haven't we?"

I bite my tongue, keeping my retort from escaping from my lips. What do you think? "There were stairs here."

"Well there aren't now. We're going to have to do this the hard way." You step forward, arm outstretched preventing me from moving on. I look at you with a scowl and you don't hesitate to let me know what's on your mind. "I'll go first, but, hey, no staring at my ass. I felt you looking."

My composure slips for a second, and I catch myself before my jaw drops open. This time it is impossible to avoid teasing you. "I though you had lost your ass." I reply, a smirk coming to my lips as well.

"Donkey." Whatever, just admit you don't like losing and get this whole trivial matter over with. As you step forward, however, I find my eyes drifting to a certain part of your body. It's not bad, I must admit.

"I can feel you looking."

Caught. "Just climb the tower." And because of this, I smile. Yes, I like you a little bit too much for my own good.

It's quiet as we begin our climb, but it is not long before we can hear the Concubine. She taunts us, and I hope your thick skull can block out her words. Don't listen to her; don't fall for the illusion.

"Welcome to my court! Do you come seeking favors, or forgiveness, a blessing or something more? Listen, you can hear your time disappearing. I have an eternity, you a last few moments."

I try to shut out her voice, focus on what we had set out to accomplish but I find myself wandering. She is right, our time here is limited and if we fail now, the world will be doomed to be forever engulfed in the night. I did not come here to ask for favors, forgiveness, or anything of the sort. I already have a blessing – a helping hand – and as of right now I need nothing more.

The silence is overwhelming when we reach the top of the spire. We both know the Concubine must be here and that makes us even more tense. Our eyes dart from one place to the next searching for the Illusion.

"Where is she?"

"Close." I can hear her whisper and suddenly I am pulled down to my knees, corruption slithering its way around my body. Tighter and tighter it constricts me. It feels like my ribcage is collapsing, closing in on my heart. Out of instinct, I reach out for you and at that moment I see fear in your eyes.

"Elika!" You take hold of my hand and for a moment I can't take my eyes off you. Your hand is warm, I can tell, even though it is covered by a glove. Your blue eyes study me and I wonder briefly what it is your looking for. This moment, however, is come and gone in an instant and you turn away from me, drawing your sword from its sheath.

"Why would you want a princess when you could have a queen?"

I feel helpless, like some dependent child, like the princess you make me out to be. I'm not naïve. I've seen more tragedies then you could imagine, I've seen kingdoms fall in hours; people devoured by the darkness, children without mothers . . . but since when did this become about me? Perhaps it is this anger within me, to see everyone who is to blame for this wretched fate that has been brought down upon this world suffer like the world itself. I want them to know what it feels like . . . You will learn that I'm not so naïve, not so delicate.

Standing slowly, I stare at you for a moment, really stare. But I forget what to think about for the dance has started again. It's quick, a parry followed by counter strike and so on, but I'm not really following it. This is your expertise after all. I can slack for just a moment, I trust you to protect me in this short relapse of concentration. And just like this fleeting break in reality, I am awake and no longer dreaming.

"You are such a disappointment." She scolds you before disappearing back into the night.

"What is she my mother?"

"She's not coming back to this place." I say, shaking my head in exasperation.

I take tentative steps towards the fertile ground and I can already feel his influence. I nearly laugh at the irony; the darkness is strongest in the light. _"I could give you so much more. What does Ormazd offer that I could not possibly replicate? Instead of dying for him, live for me." _You're asking the wrong girl. Responsibility holds a very strong part in my soul; purpose is what moves me forward. It's not about my life, it's so much more then that.

"Princess against fake queen, the princess is the winner."

And then there's you, my one break in reality, the out of this world adventurer who has taken everything for granted, lived life to the fullest without any regrets and now I find myself thinking that I wouldn't mind living in your shoes for a while – living without a care in the world, traveling to far off places. This confuses me, however I do not question myself, I question you. "What is it that you want?"

"Huh?"

"She offered you your dreams." She offered you everything.

You shrug nonchalantly, "Sure, and how long would that have lasted? I just want to find my donkey and I want to go home." You turn to me, "What about you? What do you want?"

What do I want? "For things to be as they were." But as I say that I know I could never possibly return to that way of being now that I know of life with you.


End file.
